Jason Gregor mentioned recently that the new 'history will be made' ads put forth into the world by the NHL were one of the finest marketing efforts by the NHL in recent years. While we certainly agree, we thought you might like to see where the bar is currently being set, miles above backwards footage of NHL games.

Behold the Nike "write the future campaign" for the World Cup of Soccer.

The ad - which is basically a 3 minute mini movie - depicts a series of world class soccer stars facing critical game moments and predicts potential fallout from their immediate successes or failures. In a breathtaking display of "money can buy anything" the folks at Nike got Wayne Rooney to wear a fake beard, got Ronaldo to look sexy and even got a cameo by none other than Homer Simpson himself.

"Nike’s three-minute “Write the Future” epic, starring soccer superstars Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, set a new record for most views of a viral video ad in its debut week, according to web video analytics company Visible Measures.

It beat the previous record holder, another Nike ad called “Earl and Tiger” featuring golfer Tiger Woods after his heavily publicized return to the sport. Ad agency Wieden+Kennedy produced the ad, which was directed by illustrious Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu, who is best known for the critically-acclaimed film Babel. Nike VP Trevor Edwards was quoted in Advertising Age saying the ad is “among the best we’ve ever done.”

“Earl and Tiger” reached 6.3 million views in its first week and “Write the Future” achieved 7.8 million. The fact that “Write the Future” beat “Earl and Tiger” is even more impressive considering the fact that the latter hit the web amidst the Tiger Woods scandal. The current count for this new video on YouTube is 9.4 million. The FIFA World Cup begins next month, and Nike’s advertising is capitalizing on the frenzy around the event.

This video depicts soccer stars whose astounding athletic accomplishments and failures send waves through society, affecting world events and changing their own lives."

Getting the guy who made that George Clooney movie Babel to make your ad? So gangster. Getting Wayne Rooney to admit he will one day live in a trailer park. Even more gangster. Getting Fox to write and then release a 3 second Simpsons clip though they are infamous for refusing similar requests? The Holy Trinity of Gangsterisity.

Nike is so cool. If we had feet we would totally buy their shoes.

UPDATE: MORE $$$ ADVERTIZO

If you need to see another example of money can buy anything, peep the new Adidas Originals ad.

Featuring Snoop Dogg, David Beckham, Oasis digitally inserted into Star Wars footage.* Great gods of Rock the budget for this ad must be equal to the combined GDP of Central America.

At this rate we will be seeing ads with Michael Jackson playing doubles foosball along side Elvis against John Lennon and George Harrison whilst shilling iPads before long.

Hat tip to David S for the video.

*Heh heh "digitally inserted"

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I had seen the Nike ad last week, but the Adidas one is sweet too. As soon as I saw Daft Punk (yes, it's those two guys in the helmets) on the update page I thought someone had a link to their new Tron soundtrack. Can't wait! (for World Cup and Tron 2.0)

I had seen the Nike ad last week, but the Adidas one is sweet too. As soon as I saw Daft Punk (yes, it's those two guys in the helmets) on the update page I thought someone had a link to their new Tron soundtrack. Can't wait! (for World Cup and Tron 2.0)

Ah Daft Punk. 10 years removed from your hey day and you still won't reveal your identities no matter how much money you have made.

Agreed, the History will be made ads were cool before the playoffs. The fact they are using this years playoffs though has cheapened them and made them dull. Especially when they show "History will be made" and the team ends up losing the series. What history? The fact the series stretched one more game? Wow. BFD

Agreed, the History will be made ads were cool before the playoffs. The fact they are using this years playoffs though has cheapened them and made them dull. Especially when they show "History will be made" and the team ends up losing the series. What history? The fact the series stretched one more game? Wow. BFD

I completely agree. The first few were epic but they are putting too many out.

"What if Keith hadn't drank water at the 5 minute mark of the third period?"

What about a "History Will Be Made" commercial about the Oilers not sandbagging a meaningless game against the Flames, thus allowing the Blackhawks a spot in the lottery, which they win, and pick the player who scored the Stanley Cup winning goal in Overtime.

Hey Wanye, I don't think you can watch that Adidas add and not spot Jay Baruchel in it as well. He's a good Canadian kid after all, plus he's gotten closer to Elisha Cuthbert than any of us will ever get.

Just an exercise in excess. And how is predicting really silly bullcrap miles above celebrating the history of the game?

They're not predicting anything, really. It's just a way to demonstrate the fact that World Cup is big.

Really big.

I read an article the other day about how the Honduran government has restructured the work day for 200,000 public service employees to allow them time off to watch the games. They're also encouraging private businesses to do the same thing.

The stuff in the ad isn't far off.

The NHL can't compete because it doesn't matter as much to as many people as World Cup does.

To put it in perspective, wiki says the cumulative audience of all the 2006 World Cup matches was 26.29 billion.